Features

Four Decades On...

PUBLISHED

10:57 1st March 2014

Wolves reminder of League Cup success

It’s something everyone should be proud of and genuinely spurs us on to emulate"

Kenny Jackett

It is 40 years this weekend since Wolves lifted one of the major trophies stuck in the Molineux cabinet during the club’s illustrious history thanks to a League Cup Final win over Manchester City at Wembley.

John Hendley, Wolves programme editor and historian, was among the crowd that March 2nd day, as goals from Kenny Hibbitt and John Richards saw Bill McGarry’s side upset the formbook with a superb victory.

A page of the programme for today’s visit of Port Vale is devoted to Hendley’s reflections on that day, the first of two occasions Wolves have won the League Cup with victory over Nottingham Forest to follow six years later.

Current Head Coach Kenny Jackett was also aware of that Wolves team from the early 1970s through watching football at the time.

And he believes some of the club’s successes from history can be used as an inspiration to those modern day players now trying to help Wolves climb again towards the higher reaches of the English pyramid.

Jackett says: “Mike Bailey was the captain and I remember that early 70s team because my dad used to take me to Spurs, and they played Wolves in both cup semi-finals the previous season.

“I remember watching that Wolves side and Bailey in midfield was terrific.

“Then as usual, you get to meet the man a few years later at a game.

“But you don’t want to hurt his feelings too much by saying ‘I used to watch you as a lad’ because it doesn’t make him feel too good!

“The history of the club is a fantastic one and it only drives myself and the players on to create our own to put alongside it because it’s a fabulous history, tradition and museum.

“It’s something everyone should be proud of and genuinely spurs us on to emulate.

“I don’t think it’s a weight – if you come to a club with a history, fanbase and facilities – they’re all things that class it as a big club.

“And it does make it very appealing for people to join and play for.

“It’s something you can use because people come in wanting to make their name having a high motivation to do it and try to emulate the success they’ve had through many decades.”